Musical instrument construction



Dec. 31, 1968 MICHIO rro 3,413,877

1 MUSICAL INSTRUMENT CONSTRUCTION Filed Dec. 2, 1966 Sheet Z/ERA JINVENTOR. F I62 M/cw/a 170 Dec. 31, 1968 MICHIO rro 3,413,377

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT CONSTRUCTION Filed Dec. 2, 1966 Sheet 2 of 5INVENTOR. M/(f/l/O I70 w gw M Dec. 31, 1968 MICHIO' rro 3,418,377

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT CONSTRUCTION Filed D90. 2, 1966 Sheet 3 of 5INVENTOR. MIC/U0 170 A TIURIIEYS.

United States Patent MUSICAL INSTRUMENT CONSTRUCTION Michio Ito, 3094,Kasuga-cho, 2-chome, Nerima-ku, Tokyo, Japan Filed Dec. 2, 1966, Ser.No. 598,801

Claims priority, application Japan, June 7, 1966,

41/ 53,005 5 Claims. (Cl. 84-414) This invention relates, in general, tothe construction of musical instruments and method of forming suchinstruments, and, in particular, to a new and useful drum constructionin which the end portion includes a film or layer of a material such asplastic having a marginal peripheral area which is directed into asynthetic resin layer which is formed between two rigid frame membersand including a thread passed through the frames and the film to securethe assembly in place.

The present invention is an improvement over the prior art particularlyin the fact that a drum may be constructed in a simple manner such thatthe timbre thereof will remain substantially unchanged during its usefullife and in which the end pieces will be held in a tightened conditionpermanently. In accordance with the method of the invention, the drum isconstructed by arranging two annular frames of different dimensions onewithin the other to leave a defined space therebetween which is filledwith a resin material. An adhesive synthetic resin is then poured intothe space between the frame elements and a plastic film such as Mylarwhich forms the end cover or end surface of the drum is arranged so thatits peripheral edges are folded downwardly into the resin materialbefore the latter is solidified. In addition, a thread is securedthrough the frames and the synthetic material and the marginal edge ofthe end cover which is held therein, to secure this assembly tightlytogether. Thereafter the resin material is permitted to solidify to forman assembly in which the Mylar film is held tightly in a permanentmanner. An additional synthetic resin is applied around the frameelements in order to prevent the sewing thread and the Mylar film 3 fromloosening in the assembly and also to beautify the outward appearance ofthe drum.

Accordingly it is an object of the invention to provide a drum ofimproved construction in which the end pieces are held securely in aframe assembly which includes a hardened synthetic resin material.

A further object of the invention is to provide a method of forming adrum which comprises arranging two substantially rigid annular framemembers of slightly different dimensions one within the other, fillingthe space between the frame members with a synthetic resin material,thereafter applying an end cover over the innermost frame and directingits marginal periphery into the synthetic resin, sewing the framemembers, the synthetic resin and the end covering into an assembly, andthereafter finishing the frame assemblies to form the completed drum.

A further object of the invention is to provide a drum constructionwhich is simple in design, rugged in construction and economical tomanufacture.

The various features of novelty which characterize the invention arepointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming apart of this specification. For a better understanding of the invention,its operating advantages and specific objects attained by its use,reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptivematter in which there is illustrated and described a preferredembodiment of the invention.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a partial sectional and partial plan view of a drumconstructed in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a partial sectional and partial elevational view of the drumof FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged partial sectional and partial plan view similar toFIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional view of the end cover construction ofthe drum.

Referring to the drawings in particular, the invention embodied thereincomprises a drum generally designated 10 which includes a cylindricalbody generally designated .12 and end member assemblies generallydesignated 1-4 and 16, respectively, which are tensioned together bytensioning rod assemblies generally designated 18. The tensioning rodassemblies 18 include rod members 20 which extend through collars 22 and24 and which are threaded at their outer ends. Wing nuts 26 are threadeddownwardly over the rods 20 to cause projections 28 formed on thecollars to bear against an annular rigid member 30 of the end pieceassembly 14.

In accordance with the invention, the end piece assembly 14 includes anend cover member 3 which is assembled at its peripheral ends into anannular frame assembly generally designated 32.

In accordance with the preferred method of the invention, the end piece14 is formed by first arranging two annular members of differentdimension 1 and 1' one within the other. Thereafter, the space betweenthe annular members 1 and 1' is filled with a thick layer of an adhesivesynthetic resin material 2. Before the resin material 2 becomessolidified, an end cover 3 made of a material such as Mylar is stretchedover the inner frame 1 and its marginal edge is directed downwardly intothe synthetic resin preferably to an extent to cause a slight portion ofthe lower end of the Mylar film 3 to project beneath the frames 1 and1'.

The inner and outer surfaces of the frames 1 and 1' are provided with aplurality of circumferentially elongated recesses and through the frameopenings at each end of each recess to permit the insertion of a sewingthread 4 through the frames and through the synthetic resin and theMylar film 3 before the synthetic resin is completely solidified. Thesewing thread is arranged to go through the holes and along the recessto the next hole and to extend all around the periphery of the annularmembers to hold the assembly together along with the synthetic resinmaterial 2 after it becomes solidified.

After the sewing thread is secured and adhered in the assembly 30, asuitable resin solution 5 is applied around the exposed frame elements 1and 1 and the ends of the solidified plastic layer 2. This layer ofresin solution 5 is then smoothly polished and it provides a covering toinsure that the sewing thread and the Mylar film will be retained in theassembly.

Thus, with the invention construction, it is a simple matter to form theend piece assemblies 14 for the drum and the resultant structure isdurable and will remain tight throughout the useful life.

While a specific embodiment of the invention has been shown anddescribed in detail to illustrate the application of the inventiveprinciples, it will be understood that the invention may be embodiedotherwise without departing from such principles.

What is claimed is:

1. An end piece construction for a drum having a tubular body comprisingfirst and second annular frame members of slightly different dimensionsarranged one within the other and defining a space therebetween, an endcover member stretched over the inner one of said first and second framemembers and having a marginal peripheral edge which is directed into thespace between said first and second frame members, a synthetic resinmaterial bonding the marginal edge of said cover member and said firstand second frame members together, and a thread extending through saidframe members, said marginal edge of said cover member and saidsynthetic resin material to additionally secure said cover and saidframe members together.

2. A drum construction according to claim 1, wherein said frame membersinclude holes defined therethrough for the passage of the theradtherethrough, and recesses defined at the exit ends of each pair of saidholes for recessing said thread therein.

3. A drum construction according to claim 1, including a covering ofsynthetic material extending around the exterior of said frames toengage said cover member at each end.

4. A method of forming a drum end cover assembly comprising arrangingfirst and second annular members of different dimensions one within theother to define a space therebetween, pouring a synthetic resin materialinto the space between the annular members, stretching 4 a cover memberof the inner one of said first and second annular members and directingits marginal periphery into the resin material before it is solidified,sewing through the end frame members, the resin material and themarginal edge of the cover member to secure the cover member to said endframe members and permitting the assembly to solidify.

5. A method according to claim 4, including adding an additional layerof synthetic material over the external surfaces of the frame membersand said synthetic mate rial.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 5/1960 Belli et al. 84414 11/1966Cheslow 84-414

4. A METHOD OF FORMING A DRUM END COVER ASSEMBLY COMPRISING ARRANGINGFIRST AND SECOND ANNULAR MEMBERS OF DIFFERENT DIMENSIONS ONE WITHIN THEOTHER TO DEFINE A SPACE THEREBETWEEN, POURING A SYNTHETIC RESIN MATERIALINTO THE SPACE BETWEEN THE ANNULAR MEMBERS, STRETCHING A COVER MEMBER OFTHE INNER ONE OF SAID FIRST AND SECOND ANNULAR MEMBERS AND DIRECTING ITSMARGINAL PERIPHERY INTO THE RESIN MATERIAL BEFORE IT IS SOLIDIFIED,SEWING THROUGH THE END FRAME MEMBERS, THE RESIN MATERIAL AND THEMARGINAL EDGE OF THE COVER MEMBER TO SECURE THE COVER MEMBER TO SAID ENDFRAME MEMBERS AND PERMITTING THE ASSEMBLY TO SOLIDIFY.